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French player Arthur Gea came agonizingly close to achieving an unprecedented feat at the US Open, but ultimately fell short in the fourth round. The 21-year-old, who entered the tournament as a lucky loser after world number 87 ranking kept him out of the initial draw, had a match point within his grasp against Dutch competitor Botic van de Zandschulp. However, he was unable to capitalize on the opportunity in a tiebreak during the third set.
The marathon encounter extended to five hours and 13 minutes, marking the fourth longest match ever recorded at Flushing Meadows. Van de Zandschulp mounted an impressive comeback to secure victory with a final score of 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4. Had Gea prevailed, he would have become the first lucky loser to advance to a Grand Slam quarter-final in tournament history.
Despite the loss, Gea’s remarkable run through the tournament demonstrated his capabilities. He qualified by winning three consecutive matches after receiving his main draw entry when 2022 finalist Casper Ruud withdrew injured. Gea’s earnings from the fourth-round exit totaled $480,000, substantially exceeding the $66,000 prize purse he would have received from the qualifying rounds alone.
Van de Zandschulp’s dramatic escape from defeat sets up a quarter-final matchup against top-seeded Alexander Zverev, who advanced after defeating Italian 21st seed Luciano Darderi in straight sets.
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Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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